Nearby residents, local representitve, "outraged" at reopening of public rifle range.

[Perkascene]

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/loca...fle-range.html

Residents take aim at rifle range
TEXT SIZE By: AMANDA CREGAN
The Intelligencer
The Game Commission is planning to reopen the public shooting range at Nockamixon State Park.



It's been four years since the air cracked with gunshots day and night, some barely grazing nearby homes.

Fears that Nockamixon State Park's public rifle range is set to re-open this summer brought worried residents to Monday night's Haycock supervisors meeting.

It was standing room only as nearly 25 neighbors packed the tiny municipal building telling horror stories of criminal and gang violence, threats against area homeowners, drug and alcohol use, 24-hour activity, toxic lead pollution and groundwater contamination, and reckless gun users - some shooting high-powered assault rifles into the air.

"There were a lot of safety violations that really put us in a state of fear," said Dorothy Comfort, who represented a group of residents who live along nearby East Sawmill Road.

Comfort and her neighbors were angry they hadn't been notified by the state Game Commission, which operates the range, and only found out about the June reopening by seeing a small notice posted under an old rifle range sign.

Once primarily used by responsible sportsmen and licensed National Rifle Association members, the range later became plagued with problems because neither Game Commission officials nor state police regularly supervised the site, said Comfort.

"We had been complaining and getting all the police reports on all the vandalism for years and all of a sudden it was closed and we were told it would never reopen," said Comfort, a resident for 31 years. "We really feel at this point and for having four years of our neighborhood like it is we cannot accept the rifle range to operate in the way it did for 40 years."

Advertisement Comfort said she remains baffled as to why the rifle range sits next to the only residential area in a span of 2,000 acres of state game land.

Her husband, Bob Comfort, worries about the unseen environmental damage and compared the abandoned rifle range to a Superfund site.

"A rifle range used everyday for decades can have a million pounds in lead that can leach into the ground," he said. "That whole area is a toxic waste dump and it is now abandoned, and it really violates a least a few federal statutes."

The Comforts and several East Sawmill Road residents are working with Rep. Paul Clymer to get some regulations in place. Clymer has petitioned the Game Commission to enforce restricted hours, put in place proper supervision, post types of firearms that can be used and close the rifle range on Sundays.

With the increasingly high costs of private rifle ranges and gun clubs, Bob Comfort is concerned that more people will trek in from out of state to shoot at a public rifle range.

"It's a safety hazard. It's a public health issue, and it's a noise pollution issue. There's no restrictions on anything and no supervision," he said. "These are not responsible hunters. These are not NRA members. A lot of these people come in from Jersey."

Haycock Township Supervisor Chairwoman Kathleen Babb says the board will try to get answers for residents.

"I think what we can do is probably fairly limited, but I think we can get someone from the Game Commission and someone from the EPA or DEP to attend a meeting or even schedule a special meeting."

[adymond]

telling horror stories of criminal and gang violence, threats against area homeowners, drug and alcohol use, 24-hour activity, toxic lead pollution and groundwater contamination, and reckless gun users - some shooting high-powered assault rifles into the air.

Imagine how much more civil it will be when the law abiding gun owners begin to use that range again.

These idiots drive me nuts.

[ADerhammer]

And no thoughts from the perspective of the gun owners. F*#k the media

[Perkascene]

Imagine how much more civil it will be when the law abiding gun owners begin to use that range again.

These idiots drive me nuts.

I honestly had a hard time believing their claims of gang violence and other problems. I live in nearby Perkasie. I have yet to witness any gang violence.

I was also a little irked that they imply that not being a hunter or being a member of the NRA means you are an irresponsible gun owner. I am not a member of the NRA, and I do not hunt. I consider myself a responsible firearm owner; my guns are in a safe. I am aware of and practice shooting safety. I teach anyone who shoots with me the rules, make sure they understand muzzle awareness, etc.

I've seen the goofballs at other SGL ranges and understand their concerns. But categorizing all of us as gang members, drug users, or even implying that the rifle range is responsible for this is just foolish.

[Virtus985]

Sadly, this kind of shit happens all the time at "free" ranges with no supervision. Noone there to straighten people out means youre gonna have every assclown in a 50 mile radius coming there to shoot sideways gangsta style / mag dump/ shoot dual fisted / violate every range safety protocol imaginable.

Free ranges are a great thing when RESPONSIBLE people show up, and the rules get followed. The problem is these SGL ranges tend to attract the loonies, and with noone around to enforce any sort of rules people are gonna be upset.

[Adam-12]

I honestly had a hard time believing their claims of gang violence and other problems. I live in nearby Perkasie. I have yet to witness any gang violence.

What? You mean you haven't noticed the crowds of gang-bangers getting together to perfect their marksmanship? Practice, training, discipline--that's what gang membership is all about! They hardly ever leave the range except when there's a rumble scheduled.

[Perkascene]

Sadly, this kind of shit happens all the time at "free" ranges with no supervision. Noone there to straighten people out means youre gonna have every assclown in a 50 mile radius coming there to shoot sideways gangsta style / mag dump/ shoot dual fisted / violate every range safety protocol imaginable.

Should you and I give up our driving rights just because some people can't learn how to operate a car properly? Should roads that people frequently speed or crash on be closed because they can't enfore the laws properly?

[Perkascene]

What? You mean you haven't noticed the crowds of gang-bangers getting together to perfect their marksmanship? Practice, training, discipline--that's what gang membership is all about! They hardly ever leave the range except when there's a rumble scheduled.

Haha, now that you mention it, I did notice a Blood and Crypts sign in sheet down by the tennis court. Seems they have a tournament scheduled.

[Virtus985]

lol, a gangbanger tennis tournament. Ties will be broken by knife fight.

I'm not saying that I oppose the opening of the range- nothing like that at all. I'm just trying to point out that there is a valid cause for concern over an unsupervised range. I mean heck, there are supervised ranges where you see bullet holes in the ceiling.

[knight0334]

God I hate those whiny buttmonkeys.. wha wha wha!

People! Elect me Governor and there will be a gunshop, shooting range, a bar, a church and a whorehouse on every block!